Studio, M.F.A.

Degree Requirements

M.F.A. with Concentrations in Ceramics (CER), Drawing and Painting (DP), Graphic Design (GRD), Interior Design (ID), Printmaking (PRT), Photography (PHOT), Sculpture (SCUL), and Textiles (TEXT)

In general, the requirements for an M.F.A. are as follows:

 All M.F.A. candidates in CER, DP, PHOT, PRT, SCUL, and TEXT must complete a written thesis and an exit exhibition. Normally, ID and GRD students will also complete a written thesis and exit show, though there may be exceptions for those fields of study.

While there may be some variations, the M.F.A. in the Ernest G. Welch School of Art & Design is a three-year degree. A typical three-year course of study will proceed as follows:

Fall, Year 1

Spring, Year 1

* For PHOT, ID, CER, and GRD students, one Art History Seminar may be substituted with an area-specific history course (e.g. History of Photography, etc.)

** Assistantship hours do not count toward the 72 hours required for the M.F.A. degree.

 24- Hour Review: At the end of your first year of study, you will undergo a review to determine your progress through the program. For more information on this process, see “24- Hour Review Process” in the policies section, below.

Summer, Year 1

Fall, Year 2

Spring, Year 2

Choose Committee for M.F.A. Thesis and Exit Show: At the end of your second year, you will choose your committee for your M.F.A. thesis, submit your thesis topic, and begin planning your exit show. See “Thesis” and “Exit Show” in the policy section, below.

Summer, Year 2

Fall, Year 3

Spring, Year 3

Policies

The following policies are not exhaustive of the guidelines applicable to students in the Ernest G. Welch School of Art & Design. For a fuller list of policies, see the student handbook. The policies contained herein are only those that most directly impact the above-stated curriculum.

24-Hour Review Process

At the end of 24 hours of M.F.A. course work, you will undergo a 24-hour review. This review will occur typically at the end of your first year of study. This review is meant to assess your progress, and to give you feedback on your strengths and weaknesses.

You will work with your faculty advisor to schedule an individual review. Scheduling of reviews will begin mid-spring semester so that each candidate has an appointment time and day for the end of the semester. The review will consist of an overview of all the work you have produced as an M.F.A. candidate in the first year of study. As a result, it is important for you to produce a body of work consistent with the expectations of your area of specialization. Each area will have a presentation preference (i.e. physical or digital) as well as a minimum/maximum number of works expected. It is your responsibility to work with your advisor to ensure that you follow the preferred format for your area. Your faculty advisor and members of your area of specialization will conduct a formal review and critique of your work. This is a critical assessment of your first year of production as well as your future potential as an M.F.A.-level artist or designer. Your faculty advisor and review committee will also assess your readiness to pursue further course work needed to reach the thesis level. You must ensure that your work is of high quality and reflects your capabilities, vision, and voice. Each review is highly individualized, and will include opportunities for dialogue between you and your reviewers. You should be able to discuss and defend your work in a cogent, articulate, and professional manner. At the end of the process, the review committee will meet and come to a decision regarding the outcome. There are three possible decisions and outcomes for the review process:

In order to document the outcome of your 24-Hour review, you will submit a copy of the Graduate Review Record to the school’s graduate director at the end of your last semester before graduation. The Graduate Review Record is used to track your progress through the various steps toward graduation including your 24-hour review. The form is available in the student handbook and on the Welch School of Art & Design website.

Thesis

M.F.A. candidates normally are required to complete a written thesis. At the end of the second year or by the beginning of the third year of coursework, candidates will select a thesis committee. Committees will consist of at least three, and no more than five, graduate faculty members, two of whom must be from the Ernest G. Welch School of Art & Design, and from your area of study, with one acting as thesis chair. The third member can be graduate faculty from within the Ernest G. Welch School of Art & Design or from Georgia State University. The proposal abstract must be a written document that clearly states the topic the candidate wishes to pursue and should include an overview of the relevant scholarship on the subject.

The thesis is a scholarly document meant to reflect your research. As such, it should be well written and carefully argued, and should meet the highest academic standards. Theses not meeting these expectations will be refused, which will result in graduation delays and may result in the withholding of the M.F.A. degree. In addition to these school expectations, each thesis must conform to the formatting guidelines set out by Georgia State University and the Board of Regents, as well as the submission deadlines established each year. The guidelines for theses at Georgia State University undergo periodic revision, so it is the student’s responsibility to ensure that they follow the guidelines published by the Office of Academic Assistance. Failure to meet published guidelines and/or deadlines will result in delays and may result in the withholding of the M.F.A. degree.

Exit Show

Thesis candidates typically are required to carry out an exit show at the end of the third year of the M.F.A. program. The exit show is not meant as a recapitulation of the student’s career as an artist or designer. It is meant to show the work carried out in thesis. In some cases, the exit show may consist of a public lecture, presentation, or screening. In all cases, the thesis committee will approve the final form of the show, lecture, presentation, or screening, to ensure that it conforms to best practices in each area of specialization.

Candidates will work closely with their faculty advisors and committee members to determine the content and scope of the show. This collaboration is not meant to censor the exhibition or to impinge in any way on the academic freedom of the candidate. The dialogue fostered by this process is meant as a teaching and mentoring opportunity in which experienced faculty members help introduce the candidate to the rigorous professionalism expected of M.F.A.-level artists and designers. Each candidate must work with the Gallery Director to schedule the show. Students are required to prepare, mount, and hang their own shows as well as to produce all necessary collateral materials. Once the show has closed, students are responsible for taking down the show and restoring the gallery to its proper condition. Each exit show is unique to the student; determining what is necessary and appropriate must be a collaborative effort between the candidate and the committee. Like the thesis, the work offered for the exhibition should meet the highest academic standards for works in the student’s area. The exit show is not a pro forma exercise. It is an integral part of the curriculum; failure to complete the show in a satisfactory manner (including, but not limited to, abiding by appropriate gallery regulations) may result in the withholding of the M.F.A. degree. Each candidate’s committee and faculty advisor will critique the final show in order to ensure that it meets appropriate standards of professionalism. Failure to secure final committee and faculty advisor approval for the exit show may result in withholding of the M.F.A. degree.